2020
Duke of Ed/Personal Challenge
Duke of Ed/Personal Challenge
On the 12th and 13th November, a group of around 20 students from the Year 9 Personal Challenge and Duke of Ed classes went on a hike. We started out near Bulldog Junction at 11am on the Thursday 12th. We started out in two groups, but by lunch the groups had changed a bit to a larger group that went ahead and a smaller group that took their time. The first day was probably the harder of the two, as the weather was hot and we weren’t used to hiking over those hills yet. The last of the group arrived at Huggetts Crossing at around 4 in the afternoon. Tents were set up and we all spent some time down by the river, either swimming or relaxing on the shore. The rest of the evening was spent cooking and eating dinner, swimming, relaxing by the river, talking and playing games around the campfire. A particular highlight of that day was the goanna we saw in the campsite around 50 meters from where we were set up. Everyone was in bed by 10.
The next morning the smaller group got up at 5:30 packed up and left for the second half of our hike by 7. The second larger group left camp at 7:45. The second day of our hike was a lot easier, not as many big up hills and down hills with no breaks, instead alternating between smaller up and downhills. There was some points where we went down almost vertical rocks and a particularly steep hill that took almost 15 minutes to climb. We had lunch a Dermodys campground, then walked for another hour or so up and down some steep and rocky hills to Wombat Crossing. We arrived there ahead of schedule at around 12:30 and waited just short of an hour for the bus to arrive and bring us back to the school.
Overall the hike was fun, but very tiring and for most of us rather painful. Packs aren’t always the most fun. I wouldn’t mind going for another hike but maybe something a bit less hilly and hot. Thanks to all the teachers and staff that came with us and made the hike possible. Finally good work to all my fellow student who went on this hike. We did well!
Charlie Giles.
